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ISAAC H. WEST 'AND TERTIUS LUAMP, OF EVANS, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent .N 74,647, lated .February 18, 1868.

Ihl.RROVEIIIENI IN CULINARY BOILERS.

To ALL wnoM IT'MAY coNcsnN:

Be it known that we, ISAAC H. WEST and TERTIUS L. CAMP, of Evans, in the county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented a. certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Cooking by Steam, and for other uses; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference vbeing had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation ot' our improved apparatus. p t

Figures 2 and 3 vertical sections of the same, at right angles to each other.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. p v

Our invention consists in combining with a closed steaming-chamber an air-passage near the bottom of'the same, provided with a slide -or register, whereby air is admitted beneath the body of steam to regulate or cheek it, thereby producing the'eondensation at the bottom instead of the top of the chamber, and thus eiecting a much more uniform and regular action than can be otherwise eiected.

The invention consists, also, in the combination with the steaming-chamber thus arranged, of end waterreceptacles for insulating the steam-chamber, all as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, A indicates the central steaming-chamber, and B B ,the end water-receptacles, the whole being combined in one body. The steaming-chamber is covered by a tight cover, a, and vit is providedinside with suitable stands or shelves, I, for holding thematerials to be cooked. Near the bottom ofthe chamber is made a. spout,rC', with an opening, c, through the side ot" the chamber, which' is preferably covered with wire` gauze, and overthis shuts a slide or register, d, as clearly shown. This arrangement serves not only to introducerwater, but also to admit air. A shallow body of water only is employed in generating the steam. When suiicient intensity is attained, the passage c is opened by the slide cl to just the degree desired for the admission of air to check and Igovern the steam. .i

The admitting of the air at the bottom of the chamber, as above described, has a special eii'ect upon the steam in cooking. It has a tendency to drive the steam upward through the vegetables, and retain it in theV upper portion of the chamber in a stationary body, without driving it through. In ordinary Steamers, with no opening, c, the pressure of the steam opens theV cover and allows cold air to enter at -the top, which condenses at that point only, and notat the bottom. In such cases, also, there is a large escape of steam, which is unpleasant. We are enabled to obviatc all .diiiiculties of this sort by admitting cold air at the bottom, and gauging its admission, so as to producejust the desired intensity of the steam,`without allowing any escape whatever through the cover.' This cold air c ondenscs at the bottom instead ot' at the top, and holds a stationary body of the steam constantly in Contact with `the vegetables, whereby great uniformity in cooking is produced.

It is found by experiment that substances are thus much more thoroughly cooked than byrother steamingapparatus. It is also found to be very e`ective in baking bread, ttc., which cannot be accomplished by ordinary steaming-apparatus. It is further ascertained that in this apparatus articles thus cooked are not filled with water, as usual, for the reason that there is no surplus of steam raised, but only just sutlicient to produce the desired result` The employment of the end-receptacles B B, surrounding the ends of the steam-chamber with water, insulates said steam-chnmber from the surrounding cold air torsuch a degree as to induce the steam to rise to the top of the steam-chamber and remain. there in a body/,as before described, which would not be the case were the end-receptacles not used. By thus insulating the steam-chamber, the greatest degree of condensation occurs at the bottom, where the air enters, as before described, and at the thin-covered top, thereby economizing the body of steam to'the best advantage. We prefer to apply cocks,j`f, to draw ofi` the water of the endreservoirs. We also contemplate the use of perforated pots, E E, in connection with the receptacles, for the preparation ot' tea and coffee. The tea or coiee is simply placed in the pots and boiled in the chambers, the said pots retaining the grounds or leaves without contaminating the liquid. ,i

We do not claim a spout applied toa chamber or vessel, as we are aware that the same has been applied in many relations. Butwe are not aware that an opening, c, and slide, d, have ever been so located and arranged .at the bottom of a. steaming-chamber, as to serve to admit air beneaththe body of steam, to regulate it, as above described; therefore,

What we claim as our invention, and desire to securje by Letters Patent, is-

'lhe employment, in a. closed steaming-chamber, of an ait-pztssage near the bottom of said chamber, for admitting air beneath the body of steam, and a slide or register for gangingthe flow of air, the whole arranged as described, and operating in the manner and for the purpese set forth.

We also c1aim,in combination with the -central steaming-chamber A,Ia,rranged as above described,ithe enclosed end-receptacies B B, operating in the menner and for the purpose herein set forth. I

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAACjH. WEST, TERTIUS L. CAMP.

Witnesses: f

B. F. Oseoon,

GEO. H. MIATT. 

